Glasgow continued to develop its tramway system in the late 1940s and in May 1946 Glasgow Corporation Transport was approved to built 100 new trams. First car of a new batch, 1293, called Mark II 'Coronation' or 'Cunarder' class, entered service in December 1948. The new cars differed significantly from the older design. They were six inches longer than the pre-war Coronation cars and could seat a total of 70 passengers (40 in the upper saloon and 30 in the lower saloon). New cars were fitted with Malley & Taunton Type 596 trucks. First production cars 1293-1300 entered service in a non-streamlined livery. Started from car 1301 a semi-streamlined livery was introduced and remained cars, 1340-1392 received a full streamlined livery. Car 1385 and last six cars of the batch (1387-1392) were not fitted with eaves glasses. All new Cunarders were allocated to Newlands depot.
The 'stock' version represents car 1297 in the original non-streamlined livery (as applied on cars 1293-1300) as preserved at National Tramway Museum in Crich.